(Cricinfo) Barnstorming centuries from Paul Stirling and Harry Tector gave New Zealand an almighty scare but they survived it to defend 360 in a 719-run slugfest on a true Malahide track. With Ireland needing 10 off the last over, Blair Tickner, New Zealand’s least experienced seamer and their most expensive bowler on tour, closed out a one-run victory as New Zealand broke Irish hearts once again.
Tickner hid the first two deliveries away from the reach of debutant Graham Hume, conceding just one run. Then, Glenn Phillips, who is among New Zealand’s best fielders, dropped Craig Young next ball at the midwicket boundary and ended up parrying the ball past the rope for four. Although it was a tough chance, it was Phillips’ third drop of the day, and New Zealand might have felt the game slipping from their grasp as well. Young, however, panicked under pressure and ran himself out while trying to scramble a second run next ball, leaving Ireland with four to get off the last two balls, with No.11 Josh Little on strike. He could only manage a single off the penultimate ball and Hume a bye off the last as New Zealand squeezed their way to a 3-0 whitewash and maintained their perfect record in the World Cup Super League.
At one stage, Ireland were well on track to hunting down 361 and pulling off the joint third-highest successful chase in men’s ODIs. Stirling and Tector struck up a 179-run partnership – Ireland’s highest for the third wicket and sixth highest overall – but Stirling’s exit in the 35th over threatened to turn the game once more. It became a full-blown collapse when Martin Guptill, who had torched New Zealand’s innings with a hundred of his own, completed a spectacular one-handed grab at extra-cover to dismiss Gareth Delany for 22 off 16 balls. From 271 for 3, Ireland lost 6 for 86 and eventually the game.
After taking a bit of a tap from Stirling and Tector, Mitchell Santner darted the old ball into the pitch and tricked the Ireland batters with his subtle variations. He was responsible for the wickets of Delany, Tector and Lorcan Tuckner. After hitting a hard length to draw a return catch from Curtis Campher, Tickner then smartly kept the ball away from the swinging arcs of Ireland’s lower order in the last over.
